Comments on: Earth (nowhere near) destroyed by giant asteroid! http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/07/03/earth-nowhere-near-destroyed-by-giant-asteroid/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Thu, 08 Jan 2009 08:12:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: icemith http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/07/03/earth-nowhere-near-destroyed-by-giant-asteroid/#comment-16811 icemith Thu, 06 Jul 2006 15:25:49 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/07/03/earth-nowhere-near-destroyed-by-giant-asteroid/#comment-16811 Tim G wrote (in post 32171)..."...The press should write an article about “earth-crossing” asteroids..." I reckon that infers that the asteroid has impacted. I think he means “earth-orbit-crossing” asteroids" surely, giving us a chance to (maybe) do something about it, or not, if there is no chance of striking Earth at least on that orbit of the Sun. The rubble that it trails, may eventually burn up in our atmosphere on subsequent orbits of the Earth in the following years, as meteors. Ivan. Tim G wrote (in post 32171)…”…The press should write an article about “earth-crossing” asteroids…”

I reckon that infers that the asteroid has impacted. I think he means “earth-orbit-crossing” asteroids” surely, giving us a chance to (maybe) do something about it, or not, if there is no chance of striking Earth at least on that orbit of the Sun. The rubble that it trails, may eventually burn up in our atmosphere on subsequent orbits of the Earth in the following years, as meteors.

Ivan.

]]> By: jess tauber http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/07/03/earth-nowhere-near-destroyed-by-giant-asteroid/#comment-16812 jess tauber Thu, 06 Jul 2006 04:28:05 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/07/03/earth-nowhere-near-destroyed-by-giant-asteroid/#comment-16812 OK, mister smarty-pants, the next one I send will be 430,000 km (270,000 miles) meters wide, and it'll pass the Earth at a distance of roughly 600-800 meters. GOD aka 'I am the decider' OK, mister smarty-pants, the next one I send will be 430,000 km (270,000 miles) meters wide, and it’ll pass the Earth at a distance of roughly 600-800 meters.

GOD
aka ‘I am the decider’

]]> By: Supernova http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/07/03/earth-nowhere-near-destroyed-by-giant-asteroid/#comment-16815 Supernova Wed, 05 Jul 2006 15:47:12 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/07/03/earth-nowhere-near-destroyed-by-giant-asteroid/#comment-16815 Harry, no, the RSS feed is working for me in Firefox. Harry, no, the RSS feed is working for me in Firefox.

]]> By: Gary Ansorge http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/07/03/earth-nowhere-near-destroyed-by-giant-asteroid/#comment-16814 Gary Ansorge Wed, 05 Jul 2006 14:20:34 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/07/03/earth-nowhere-near-destroyed-by-giant-asteroid/#comment-16814 Governments prepared? Does anyone remember FEMA? I expect this is one good example for why we haven't been visited by aliens. Their governments don't plan ahead either,,, GAry 7 Governments prepared? Does anyone remember FEMA?
I expect this is one good example for why we haven’t been visited by aliens. Their governments don’t plan ahead either,,,

GAry 7

]]> By: Berlie http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/07/03/earth-nowhere-near-destroyed-by-giant-asteroid/#comment-16813 Berlie Wed, 05 Jul 2006 14:03:09 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/07/03/earth-nowhere-near-destroyed-by-giant-asteroid/#comment-16813 I read about 2004 XP14 a few days ago, and they did say that it would not hit, this time. They hinted that it might in a few years. However, it seems that new findings have shown (definitively) it won't be a problem, for this century, at least. Does anyone else find it ironic that there has been more press coverage of Meryl Streep's role in "The Devil Wears Prada", than of something that might actually have an impact (no pun intended) on life on Earth at some point in the future. Considering the damage XP14 could have caused, they could have used this as an example of why government's of the world should be taking steps to be more prepared. I read about 2004 XP14 a few days ago, and they did say that it would not hit, this time. They hinted that it might in a few years. However, it seems that new findings have shown (definitively) it won’t be a problem, for this century, at least.

Does anyone else find it ironic that there has been more press coverage of Meryl Streep’s role in “The Devil Wears Prada”, than of something that might actually have an impact (no pun intended) on life on Earth at some point in the future. Considering the damage XP14 could have caused, they could have used this as an example of why government’s of the world should be taking steps to be more prepared.

]]> By: jay denari http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/07/03/earth-nowhere-near-destroyed-by-giant-asteroid/#comment-16817 jay denari Wed, 05 Jul 2006 03:31:10 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/07/03/earth-nowhere-near-destroyed-by-giant-asteroid/#comment-16817 Oops. Obviously, I meant "Alvarez." Oops. Obviously, I meant “Alvarez.”

]]> By: jay denari http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/07/03/earth-nowhere-near-destroyed-by-giant-asteroid/#comment-16816 jay denari Wed, 05 Jul 2006 03:30:01 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/07/03/earth-nowhere-near-destroyed-by-giant-asteroid/#comment-16816 Pretty alarmist article at <a href="http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=10ec6fee-1eeb-4657-a9a4-c660ffae8b35" rel="nofollow">Aero-News Network</a> says it could "pretty much wipe out life as we know it." I doubt that. The dinosaur-killer was VASTLY bigger, around 10 km diameter, if the <a href="http://hoopermuseum.earthsci.carleton.ca/saleem/meteor.htm" rel="nofollow">Alvarex theory</a> was correct. At the U of Arizona's <a href="http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/impacteffects/" rel="nofollow"> Earth Impact Effects Program</a>, you can calculate the damage yourself (the link is to my results) -- it wouldn't be much fun if you're outside within 100 km (3rd degree burns, buildings destroyed, massive fires) but there's no way such a small rock would be a threat to global life. Pretty alarmist article at Aero-News Network says it could “pretty much wipe out life as we know it.”

I doubt that. The dinosaur-killer was VASTLY bigger, around 10 km diameter, if the Alvarex theory was correct.
At the U of Arizona’s Earth Impact Effects Program, you can calculate the damage yourself (the link is to my results) — it wouldn’t be much fun if you’re outside within 100 km (3rd degree burns, buildings destroyed, massive fires) but there’s no way such a small rock would be a threat to global life.

]]>